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Trip from Lowell, MA to Rockport, MA

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 3, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 9m

Distance

50.8 mi

82 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 17 min
4 AM
1h 4m ★
6 AM
1h 10m
8 AM
1h 21m
10 AM
1h 14m
12 PM
1h 13m
3 PM
1h 14m
5 PM
1h 20m
8 PM
1h 7m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time
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Downtown Lowell, MA, MA

Lowell, MA

Phil Evenden

town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States

Rockport, MA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Lowell, MA to Rockport, MA covers 50.8 miles and takes about 1h 9m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Yankee Division Highway, US 3, Lowell Connector for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 33.9 miles on Yankee Division Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.47 one way before food or hotel costs.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Yankee Division Highway 33.9 mi 46m
US 3 10.5 mi 13m
Lowell Connector 2.1 mi 2m
Main Street 1.8 mi 2m
Eastern Avenue 1.3 mi 1m
Chelmsford Street 0.6 mi <1m
Broadway 0.1 mi <1m
Plain Street 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Yankee Division Highway — 33.9 mi, about 46m

Traffic on I-95

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 317 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

2 PM

~5,339 veh/hr typical

Quietest

2 AM

~263 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

20.3×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lowell, MA and Rockport, MA.

1

Start on Hale Street

486 ft · 14 sec · Hale Street
2

Turn right onto Cambridge Street

314 ft · 16 sec · Cambridge Street
3

Turn left onto MA 110

0.6 mi · 56 sec · Chelmsford Street
4

Turn left onto Plain Street

0.1 mi · 11 sec · Plain Street
5

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 29 sec
6

Merge onto Lowell Connector

1.0 mi · 1 min · Lowell Connector
7

Continue on Lowell Connector

1.1 mi · 1 min · Lowell Connector
Exit 1A Toward US 3 South: Boston
8

Merge onto US 3

9.1 mi · 10 min · US 3
9

Keep slight left at fork onto US 3

1.0 mi · 2 min · US 3
Exit 72A Toward I 95 North, US 3 South: Boston, Peabody Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight left at fork onto US 3

0.3 mi · 43 sec · US 3
11

Merge onto I 95; US 3; MA 128

13 mi · 18 min · Yankee Division Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight left at fork onto MA 128

19 mi · 26 min · Yankee Division Highway
Exit 64 Toward MA 128 North: Gloucester Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Enter roundabout onto MA 128

372 ft · 5 sec · Yankee Division Highway
14

Continue on MA 128

0.7 mi · 58 sec · Yankee Division Highway
15

Enter roundabout onto MA 128

0.1 mi · 6 sec · Yankee Division Highway
16

Continue on MA 128

0.8 mi · 58 sec · Yankee Division Highway
Use the straight lane.
17

Turn left onto MA 127

1.3 mi · 1 min · Eastern Avenue
18

Continue on MA 127

1.8 mi · 2 min · Main Street
19

Continue on MA 127A

0.1 mi · 16 sec · Broadway
20

Continue on Broadway Avenue

172 ft · 7 sec · Broadway Avenue
21

Arrive at destination

Broadway Avenue

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Danvers Center, MA, MA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Danvers Center, MA

25 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Winnmere, MA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Danvers Center, MA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 25.4 miles from Lowell, MA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 14

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 26.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

4
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Cambridge Street

Turn right onto Cambridge Street

Navigation decision point

4
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | MA 110 / Chelmsford Street

Turn left onto MA 110 / Chelmsford Street

Navigation decision point

9
12.3 mi into trip | ~15m in | US 3

Keep slight left at fork onto US 3 toward I 95 North, US 3 South: Boston, Peabody

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 72A Toward I 95 North, US 3 South: Boston, Peabody
5
13.6 mi into trip | ~18m in | I 95; US 3; MA 128 / Yankee Division Highway

Merge onto I 95; US 3; MA 128 / Yankee Division Highway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
26.9 mi into trip | ~36m in | MA 128 / Yankee Division Highway

Keep slight left at fork onto MA 128 / Yankee Division Highway toward MA 128 North: Gloucester

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 64 Toward MA 128 North: Gloucester

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$8.47 one way

$16.95 round trip

$4.24/gal 25.4 MPG avg 18 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.67 $9.33 $18.66
premium $5.06 $10.11 $20.23
diesel $5.60 $11.20 $22.40

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Estimated CO2 emission: 17.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 15.2 0 $5.33 $2.44
Efficient EV 12.7 0 $4.45 $2.03
EV Truck/SUV 20.3 0 $7.11 $3.25

Gas CO2

18 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (67% less)

This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.

DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Aug 24, 2026

Origin

Lowell, MA

Evening in Lowell on Thursday

Local time

5:31 PM

EDT

Current temp

59°F

Slight Chance Rain Showers then Areas Of Fog

S 2 mph 22% chance Live forecast

Rip Current Statement

Rip Current Statement issued August 23 at 2:57PM EDT until August 24 at 6:00PM EDT by NWS Boston/Norton MA

Destination

Rockport, MA

Evening in Rockport on Thursday

Local time

5:31 PM

EDT

Current temp

63°F

Mostly Cloudy

SW 7 to 10 mph 11% chance Live forecast

Rip Current Statement

Rip Current Statement issued August 23 at 2:57PM EDT until August 24 at 6:00PM EDT by NWS Boston/Norton MA

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

4 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 9m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

What kind of drive is this?

50.8 mi in 1h 9m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.

Only 21% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 33.9 mi on Yankee Division Highway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Cambridge Street.

Driving Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 50.8 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Cambridge Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (MA 110 / Chelmsford Street): Navigation decision point; at 12.3 miles (US 3): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

218 ft 50 ft

Total Climb

285 ft

Total Descent

348 ft

Highest Point

218 ft

~14.5 mi in

Elevation Range

168 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Lowell, MA to Rockport, MA, road signs begin pointing toward Peabody along the way.

Peabody

12.3 mi in | ~15m | via US 3

About the Cities

Starting in Lowell, MA

Full guide →

Founded 1653

Lowell is a city in Massachusetts about 40 minutes northwest of Boston. With over 115,000 residents (2020), it's the fifth largest city in Massachusetts, and has an important historical background. It was the first planned industrial city in the United States.

Top landmarks

  • • Middlesex Canal — canal in Massachusetts, United States of America
  • • Lowell National Historical Park — U.S. national park located in Massachusetts
  • • St. Patrick's Church — church building in Massachusetts, United States of America

Arriving in Rockport, MA

Full guide →

Founded 1623

Rockport is a town of 7,000 people (2020) in Massachusetts on Cape Ann. The town, once famous for granite production, got its start as an artist colony in the late 1800s. Rockport is a favorite vacation spot and day trip for many who come to enjoy the concentration of shops and galleries on Bearskin Neck, the rugged, rocky coastline or some ultra-fresh lobsters or other seafood.

Top landmarks

  • • Cape Ann Light Station — lighthouse in Massachusetts, United States
  • • Granite Keystone Bridge — historic bridge in Rockport, Massachusetts, United States
  • • Straitsmouth Island Light — lighthouse in Massachusetts, United States

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 9m. Total distance: 50.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 33.9 miles on Yankee Division Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Rockport, MA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Cambridge Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (MA 110 / Chelmsford Street): Navigation decision point; at 12.3 miles (US 3): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes — Lowell National Historical Park, Salem Maritime National Historical Park and Minute Man National Historical Park (6 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Rockport, MA before heading back.

How this page is built

Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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